Lenovo | Think Brand Split: Future Product Lines Discussion

Does Apple also keep changing keyboard layout every year?
If not, why not copying that too?

 

I can only hope they split off a Thinkpad Classic line, which I'd happily pay more for. Since Lenovo seems to think the Macbook Pro is the ideal design, I'll probably pick one up as my next laptop (I have an iMac as my desktop).

 

I never understood this logic. If you're so angry about the thinkpad becoming more "macbook-like" why get a macbook?

 

As I see it, Thinkpads were bought because of their unique features, or other features that they Got Right (TrackPoint and traditional keyboard were my reasons). But now that Lenovo has transitioned to island keyboards and (what looks to be) the process of making the touchpad more important to the Thinkpads than Track oints (a complete 180 for them), then what's the point in getting a Thinkpad? I don't see one honestly, so the attractiveness of the MBP (or Latitudes or Elitebooks) suddenly shoots up since they can offer something(s) that Lenovo can't or won't (OSX, 3yr standard warranty, etc.).

 

I thought he meant the other way around, i.e. because thinkpad is becoming more like macbook-like so he was tempted to give a thinkpad a try.


To me macbooks and thinkpads are both great computers but cater to different needs, but the line between consumers and business notebooks have become much thinner than before, though it is still there.

Strange no one mentioned the thinkpad helix which is due to release in April. I know many will say it does not have so-and-so features like track-buttons, however, new features such as the touch screen, the stylus, and the detachable form-factor is much more important to me.

 

Here's an interesting interview: Lenovo's Corinna Proctor and Jason Parrish backstage at Expand (video).

They seem as though they grasp the ThinkPad tradition, but only halfway. IMO, the brand split will only help separate the ThinkPad lines from Apple MBPs...the U series is almost indistinguishable from the Macbook lineup, ThinkPads will never get to that point so it's not even worth arguing over (not that they shouldn't take some of the good qualities of the MBPs). In a few days, we'll see more detailed product releases and specs to answer all our questions, yay!

 

I have been a thinkpad user because of the great keyboard and trackpoint interface (both of which are gone now, sadly). Those differences alone were enough to keep me coming back to the thinkpad line (I'm on a T420s now, 4th thinkpad), despite the terrible screens and general decline of build quality. Now that advantage is gone, so why not get a unibody laptop with a better screen for the same amount of money?

Lenovo has given up their single best competitive advantage in order to try and out-macbook Apple, and that is a battle they'll never win.

 

so funny. a new poster with 2 posts began talking about the disappearing of track-point as if it were a fact.

 

Virtual "identity" and "credentials" are actually virtual.

 

The disappearing trackpoint buttons are fact (see T431s). Apparently the removal of an entire row of keyboard, shuffling of keys, and removal of trackpoint buttons aren't enough to bother you, but they bother me.

 

Well, it would be nice if the new poster had links, but I wouldn't dismiss them simply because they only have a handful of posts here. I mean, you and I were once new members . It's also possible that new poster also has accounts elsewhere with a higher post count, but in then end it's all virtual (as said above).

 

Where are you getting your information? According to lenovo.com's T series, the T431s has a nice red Trackpoint smack dab in the middle of the keyboard. The buttons are built into the touchpad. Have you used the new X1C Trackpoint buttons?...works great imho.

See https://shop.lenovo.com/products/us/laptop/thinkpad/t-series/t431s/

 

They work great because the X1C has physical trackpoint buttons, unlike the T431s.

 

Don't know if it is "nice," but what you were alluding to is not what had been referred to.

 

Ahh yes, saw difference after I posted. Sorry! But I still don't think a properly implemented "buttonless" design (T431s) is a product-killer. Sure, I'd love to see the X1C's 3 beautifully crafted and functional buttons for the TrackPoint alone (and ditch the trackpad idea entirely), but since lenovo already is putting trackpads on the ThinkPad laptops, then why not try to integrate the functionality as well?

My T61 has a useless 2.5" trackpad but enough physical space for a 4" buttonless trackpad. So, assuming it works as expected, the T431s layout is an upgrade from my T61. While I won't buy the T431s for a plethora of reasons, the buttonless trackpad isn't on top of my design-flaw list (unless future experiences show that the new trackpad sucks)...IMHO the trackpad could die if they replaced that phsyical space with an additional SSD/HDD/mSATA or increased battery life (who wouldn't want an additional terabyte or two, or hour or two?)...is their a general consensus on this among current ThinkPad users? On the other hand, I have to admit that increasingly-sensitive trackpads are more useful than their predecessors, even on larger laptops such as the 15.6" T/W series.

My Palmrest Preferences Summary: No TrackPad with 3 Perfect Mechanical Buttons for the TrackPoint > X1C layout = T431s (*Assuming the 'Buttonless' trackpad has well-integrated clicks for the TrackPoint) > Small crappy TrackPad with discrete buttons for TrackPoint and trackpad (T61 style)

I understand many people would disagree with the = sign, hence the *.